Container carrier



May 21, 1963 R. B. STANLEY CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Aug. 19, 1960 FIG. 5

...,111|||||lllllllnlllll|lfir2 IN VEN TOR. RICHARD B. STANLEY FIG. 5

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O wif:

This invention relates to a container carrier arrangement suitable for handling in automatic production line equipment utilized in the packaging of pressure-dispensed products and, more particularly, the invention is concerned with a container carrier arrangement of this type which is adaptable for receiving aerosol cans or bottles of various sizes.

The production line container-handling equipment includes various conveyor systems for transferring the containers from station to station along the line and also includes operating heads that are directly engageable with each container for lling it with product and propellant, for crimping a closure cap across the top of the container, and for cleaning and testing the containers after the pack- -aging operations. Much of this equipment depends, in its operation, upon direct engagement with the container; and there has existed a serious problem in converting a given production line arrangement to the handling of containers of various sizes and to the handling of both bottles and cans.

In some instances much of this rather costly production line equipment must be duplicated in order to provide the desired versatility, while in other instances, interchangeable elements of handling equipment are used, but the latter still involves undesirable capital investment and wasteful down time in converting the production line.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a standardized container carrier arrangement that is suitable for handling in aerosol production line equipment and that is adaptable for receiving and carrying both aerosol cans and aerosol bottles of various sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container carrier arrangement in the form of a two-piece assembly that comprises a standardized outer shell and an insert of selected size and conguration for mounting within the shell to receive the particular size container to be processed through the automatic production line equipment.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a container carrier arrangement for handling a small size aluminum container;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are corresponding views illustrating arrangements for handling two-ounce and four-ounce bottles, respectively;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 but with the container omitted; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

Three diiferent container carrier assemblies for the handling of containers of different shapes and sizes are illustrated for purposes of illustrative disclosure in FIGS. l, 2 and 3.

In each instance, the carrier assembly comprises a metal can or shell 10, preferably of a predetermined standardized configuration, and a plastic insert Il fixed within the shell and providing a special mounting socket positioned and shaped to the requirements for supporting 'a particular container with which the insert is matched. The various inserts, though diiierent as respects the mount- 3,090,478 Patented May 21, 1963 ing pocket -arrangement and location, preferably have identical exterior attachment surfaces for locating engagement with the shell.

Each shell is preferably cylindrical and is provided with an upwardly offset bottom wall 10W that is preferably generally dome-shaped and that is provided with a central opening for receiving the lower end of an insert in iXed engagement therewithin. Metallic shells are provided for the particular purpose of facilitating their passage through a water bath. It `should be pointed out that after the lling operations on the containers are completed, the containers are then washed clean by passing them through a water bath; and in one such arrangement of this type, a submerged magnetic chain is employed 4for conveying the container carrier assemblies through the bath while still positioned in the carrier assemblies. A series of drain holes 10H are provided around the outer edge of the bottom wall 10W to eliminate water tending to collect Within the carrier assembly during its passage through the water bath.

Each insert 11 has an annular oor 12 at the bottom of its mounting socket and, as indicated in FIG. 4, the floor has a series of circumferentially spaced, upraised container-support surfaces 12S which are engageable with the bottom of the container to support it -in slightly elevated relation. This provides drain passages leading around the side and bottom of the container. Each insert also has upwardly flaring side wall structure 13 extending to the top of the mounting socket, with this aring side wall structure terminating in an annular rim 14 that has lforcet interlocking engagement within the open upper end of the shell 10. Preferably, integral lugs 14L are provided about the annular rim at the top of the insert to provide projecting surfaces which the shell tends to bite into to enhance the securement of the insert within the shell.

Each insert also has a shouldered tubular `stub structure 15 depending from the iloor in surrounding relation to the central opening thereof and projecting through the central opening of the bottom wall 10W in close-t engagement, with the stub structure extending substantially beneath this upraised bottom Wall to terminate at or slightly short of the plane deiined -by the base or bottom end of the shell. With this arrangement, the insert, and particularly the depending stub thereof, may bear the brunt of compression forces applied through the container in connection with filling and sealing the same. The inserts are of substantially sturdier construction than the relatively thin-walled shells, and it is desirable to relieve the shell of any significant compression forces. The stub 1S is preferably locked to the bottom wall by staking at spaced points, as indicated -at 16 in FIG. 5.

The carrier assembly of this invention is particularly adapted for automatic handling in aerosol type production line equipment, and the use of a standardized carrier permits the equipment, which must be adjusted in accordance with the diameter and height of the articles passing through it, to be converted to the handling of containers of different sizes and shapes without need 'for readjustment. Each insert is tailored to a particular container in that its socket is arranged for snug t around the container and its iloor is -arranged to support the container so that its upper end is at a predetermined elevation. The shell itself determines the outside diameter; and this, of course, always remain constant.

Thus, in FIG. 1, wherein a carrier 'assembly is shown for the handling of miniature aluminum cans or tubes, the insert door 12 is at a substantially elevated location in order that the relatively short tube will be supported in appropriate position for engagement with the filling and sealing equipment. In FIG. 2, a two-ounce glass bottle is shown, and the insert floor is at a somewhat lower elevation, and finally in FIG. 3, a four-ounce bottle is shown for which the insert oor is immediately adjacent the bottom Wall of the shell.

While the principle of this invention has been discussed in connection with miniature sized containers, it Will be apparent that it isl equally applicable to larger sized containers and also to containers of various cross-sectional configurations.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the matter in which it may be performed, and the invention is not to be limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have this disclosure before them will be yable to make modifica-tions and variations therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim: y

1. A container carrier assembly comprising an outer shell open at the top and having an upwardly offset bottom wall located adjacent the base thereof and provided with a central opening, an insertl fixed within said shell and providing an upwardly opening socket bordered by a support tloor and upwardly haring side wall structure that has locating engagement within said shell adjacent the upper end thereof, said insert :having a stub depending from said oor and projecting in locked locating engagement through said bottom wall opening, said stub terminating closely adjacent the plane of the base of said shell.

2. A container carrier assembly comprising an outer shell open at the topyand having an upwardly offset bottom wall located adjacent the base thereof and provided with a central opening, an insert fixed within said shell and having an upwardly opening container-mounting socket bordered by an annular oor and upwardly flaring side wall structure upstanding from said floor and having its upper end engageable with said shell to center lthe insert therewithin, said insertY having a tubular stu-b depending from said oor to project in locked locating `engagement through said bottom wall opening, said ystub terminating immediately adjacent the plane of the base of said shell to relieve the shell of impact forces applied against said insert through said container.

3. A container carrier'assernbly comprising an outer shell openy at the top and having an upwardly otset bottom wall located adjacent the base thereof and provided with a central opening, an insert xed Within said shell and having an upwardly opening container-mounting socket bordered by an annular floor and upwardly flaring side wall structure upstanding from said floor and having its upper end engageable with said shell to center the insert therewithin, said insert having a tubular stub depending from said oor to project in locked locating engagement through said bottom wall opening, said stub terminating immediately adjacent the plane of the base of said shell to relieve the shell of impact forces applied against said insert through 4said container, Iand said oor having upraised container-support surfaces at spaced points thereabout to provide drain passages communicating between the top of said insert and vsaid stub.

4. A container carrier assembly comprising an outer shell open at the top and having a bottom wall, which bottom wall contains a central opening, an insert fixed within said shell and providing'an upwardly opening socket bordered by a support floor and upwardly aring side Wall structure that has locating engagement within said shell adjacent the upper end thereof, said insert having stub structure depending from said floor and adapted to be received within the central opening of said bottom wall, saidY stub structure terminating closely adjacent the plane of the base lof said shell.

5. A container carrier assembly comprising an outer shell open at the top and having a bottom wall, which bottom wall contains a central opening, an insert fixed within said shell and having an upwardly opening container-mounting socket with an annular oor for receiving and supporting a container to locate the top of the same at a predetermined elevation above the upper end of said outer shell, said insert including flaring side wall structure upstanding from said iioor and having its upper end engageable with said shell to center the insert therewithin, said insert having a stub structure depending from said oor and adapted to be received within the central opening of said bottom wall, said stub structure terminating closely adjacent the plane of the base of said shell.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CONTAINER CARRIER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN OUTER SHELL OPEN AT THE TOP AND HAVING AND UPWARDLY OFFSET BOTTOM WALL LOCATED ADJACENT THE BASE THEREOF AND PROVIDED WITH A CENTRAL OPENING, AN INSERT FIXED WITHIN SAID SHELL AND PROVIDING AN UPWARDLY OPENING SOCKET BORDERED BY A SUPPORT FLOOR AND UPWARDLY FLARING SIDE WALL STRUCTURE THAT HAS LOCATING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN SAID SHELL ADJACENT THE UPPER END THEREOF, SAID INSERT HAVING A STUB DEPENDING FROM SAID FLOOR AND PROJECTING IN LOCKED LOCATING ENGAGEMENT THROUGH SAID BOTTOM WALL OPENING, SAID STUB TERMINATING CLOSELY ADJACENT THE PLANE OF THE BASE OF SAID SHELL. 